Crossed Paths
by abused guard
Summary: has ne1 ever wondered about Coram and Rispah's relationship? obviously not or else more people would have read. either that or u don't like me *gasp* no that can't b. say it ain't so jo! o ps there's now some a/g a tad more will come
1. Love

  


Crossed Paths  


Disclaimer- nothing in this story is mine! It's all Tammy's so it if sucks blame her. hehe   
  
O and this is set right after lioness rampant when george and alanna announce their betrothal.  
  
  
Coram looked around. Where was his beloved when he needed her. Alanna and George had just announced their engagement, and he needed someone to talk to. Of course maybe it wouldn't be a great idea to talk to the cousin of his future son-in-law. Son in law? Coram she's not ur daughter,"a voice in his head told him. Yes, but she's like a daughter to me.  
  
A sound behind him broke his thoughts, " Coram, are you okay?"  
  
He turned around, "Sure lass, I always knew you and the thief might get bethrothed, but it still comes as a shock to an old man."  
  
She gave him a scowling look, "Coram you're not old."  
  
"Sure I ain't."  
  
"If you were why would Rispah love you then?"  
  
"Because my love doesn't care about those things."  
  
Alanna looked at him with searching eyes, "Coram, go and find Rispah. I'm sure she'll comfort you better than I could." With that she left leaving Coram all alone.  
  
He stood there for a second before deciding that he should go look for Rispah rather then go after Alanna. Before he could move one step, he saw the person he'd been waiting for.  
  
"I've been looking for ye," he told her.  
  
"Well I was waiting for you to come and find me. I knew you'd want to talk," Rispah told him once she caught up to him.  
  
"How do you feel about this?" he asked her.  
  
"About Alanna and George's betrothal?" Coram nodded his head. "Well I'm delighted with it. It's about time my cousin got a wife."  
  
"Yes, but I'm worried. He knows about her previous affairs."  
  
"With Jonathon and Liam? Yeah he knows about them, and it broke his heart too. I've never seen George look that glum. But he knew in his heart that she would come to him, and she did."  
  
"But wouldn't he worry that she was just going to him because all her pr'vious affairs ended. You know Liam dying, and Jonathon being an ass."  
  
"Coram you think too much."  
  
"Aye that I do."  
  
"Well, the thought may have crossed his mind, but I surely doubt that he believes such nonsense." She looked at him,"Do you think that's why she's marrying him?  
  
"No, it's just that.... I don't know."  
  
"Coram, is something troubling you about this betrothal?," she asked.  
  
"No, I'm just worried about how Jon's going to act. I believe our King still loves her."  
  
"That's very well true. Your Lioness is a wonderful woman. Many a man would be sad to see her go." Rispah sighed.  
  
"That she is, but I know a certain man who would be very unhappy if you were to leave his side." Coram grinned at her.  
  
"You big lug, you still love me after all of those bars you have been to with all those pretty ladies? And after all this time?" Rispah's eyes were turning wet.  
  
"Did you ever think I'd stop?"  
  
"No. Never."  
  
Coram leaned in for a kiss, which Rispah gladly accepted.  
  
"Now tell me about the losses in the thief war?" Coram interrupted.  
  
"What!? The thief war? You'd rather talk then do something?" Rispah asked.  
  
"No, not really."  
  
Rispah grinned mischeviously, " Well then let's talk."  
  
Coram gave her a death look, which made his love let out a laugh.   
  
"Let's walk and talk, " he suggested planning to walk straight towards his tent.  
  
  
  
So should I continue? Or is it fine just the way it is? I don't know!? Help! So many ideas! So many voices! Stop the voices!*covers face with hands* ahhhhh!  
#@ i have one little thing to add- y'all aren't doing anything about the turkeys! We must free them!


	2. Ponderings

O and Peyton the Perfecto-ummm i'm the perfect person. And turkeys all the way!  
  
  
Alanna pushed aside the flap of the tent, and entered to see Halef Seif and George sitting on the floor talking. They didn't even notice her walk in.  
  
"Am I interrupting something?" she asked with a smile.  
  
The two men jumped, but George covered his shock well, "Nothing, my dear. Nothing."  
  
She smiled and walked over to him. He pulled her down to sit. "But, if I didn't interrupt something then why did you two jump?"  
  
We weren't expecting you. Any person would be shocked when they were having a conversation and someone interrupts them suddenly," Halef Seif put in.  
  
It made sense, but something told Alanna that they weren't telling the whole truth. " Well then I'm sorry I interrupted, but continue."  
  
"Oh no, it's okay. We were just finishing. We'll continue tomorrow George?" the tribal chief asked.  
  
"As sure as it will be hot tomorrow," George joked.  
  
"Don't make fun my friend," and with that he left. Alanna watched her friend leave.   
  
"It'll be ok, love, " George came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulder.  
  
"Huh?" she asked absentmindedly.  
  
"I love you," he whispered in her ear.  
  
This made Alanna smile, " I know you do. Why else would want to marry me?"  
  
"Hey don't ask that question not even I'm sure of that answer."   
  
Alanna stared at George. " I'm joking, lass, I'm joking."  
  
"Don't do that! I thought you'd meant it." Alanna scolded.  
  
George leaned in, and kissed her, " There does that prove I'm joking?"  
  
"Well if you mean the way you kiss, then no," she teased.  
  
"You know what I meant well and good. I meant the chemistry, the connection, between us," George told her.  
  
"I know, and yes it does prove so."  
  
George's eyes let into a devious grin, " But if the kiss doesn't do it, I know something that will."  
  
87^87^87^87^87^87^87^87^87^87^  
Coram stepped out into the sun and sheilded his eyes with his hands. The light was very bright when you've been in a tent for a long time.  
He needed to do something. But what? There wasn't much you could do in the desert. He ticked off the ideas in his head- cook, talk with the Bazhir, look for an oasis, look for the two tribe shamans, make things, ride. That stopped him. Ride. He could do that. He could ride around the area. See everything.   
  
'Coram,' a voice told him, ' you've seen this area before. You know it well'   
  
Yes, but I need to do something and this is the only thing I want to do.' That stopped the pesky voice.  
  
Coram walked over to the stables, and saddled his horse. Once he had walked it outside and had gotten up he started to make sure he had everything. As he was making sure he had a knife, another horse came up to him. "Coram, you shouldn't be riding out alone."  
  
"Alanna, a grown man is capable of doing anything he pleases alone or with company, " he informed her.  
  
"Oh, you know that isn't true. It's best to be in numbers, besides when I came out here alone a year ago all alone, you told me I shouldn't ride alone."  
  
Both sat in silence for a while remembering that night until Coram broke the silence, " Yes, but you weren't a grown man, were ye?"  
  
"No. I wasn't. What was I?" she asked him.  
  
"You were a knight just out of training. You were a young defenseless girl."  
"Ah, but you just said I was a knight."  
  
"Yes, but either way I said it you would try and prove me wrong."   
Alanna grinned. "You were my lass going through emotional struggles, and I made myself a promise when you became a knight that nothing was going to happen to ye."  
  
Alanna suddenly realized why Coram was so upset with George and her's relationship. " You think of me like a daughter, don't you?"  
  
"Of course I do. But you knew that."  
  
That was true, she'd always known Coram loved her like the daughter he never had, but......"So are you planning anything with Rispah?"  
  
This took Coram by surprise. He hadn't really thought about it. He loved her, yes, but marriage? "I don't know. Maybe."  
  
Alanna grinned at him, " Maybe you should think about it. She seems to really love you. I don't think she'd say no. Besides she may say yes. " Her eyes twinkled as she turned and went back to the stable.  
  
Coram looked around. They'd never left the stables! Now he needed that ride more than ever.  
  
87^87^87^87^87^87^87^  
Rispah laid back on her cushion. Life was way too confusing. First her COUSIN was getting married, and then Coram. She knew he loved her. She loved him back. Life was great. But if life was great, why was something troubling her?  
  
"Cousin?" George called from outside the tent.  
  
"George, you don't need to call from outside the tent," she called back.  
  
He peeked his head in, " Yeah, but you know the Bazhir."  
  
Rispah smiled, "Yes, I do."  
  
"Are you okay with me and Alanna getting betrothed?"  
  
"Yes, yes of course I am," she assured him. He looked at her strangely. "Really. I love Alanna. Almost like she was my own sister. Which she soon will be."  
  
George gave a little chuckle, but then he looked at her. More deeply. "Coram," he whispered.  
  
"What?" she asked and sat up.  
  
"Coram's bothering you isn't he? What is he doing this time?"  
  
"This time? Why Coram's never done anything before. Well nothing bad anyways."  
  
"Well then why is he bothering you?" He sat down next to her.  
  
"He's not bothering me. At least I don't think he is." She paused. "Gods, George, I love him! And I know he loves me back, but it's like something's missing."  
  
"Marriage," her cousin suggested.  
  
"Maybe."  
  
George was worried. He'd never seen Rispah this out of control. She was the most in control person he knew. He depended on her.  
  
"George. I feel lost in this relationship. Well not totally. Coram lets me do what I please and he's okay with who I am. Other men didn't , because they thought I liked it and that it would put them in good favor with you. And others didn't. They gave me orders. But with Coram...... we're okay with each other. It's new for me. And I like it." Rispah wasn't used to talking this much. But she'd finally realized her problem. " I think that's one thing troubling me. This is new for me.You know?  
  
"Yes I do. Now if you don't mind I must go and see my Lioness." He got up and looked at her. "And Rispah. He's the one. I can tell. He'll make you happy." And he left.   
  
Forgetting that he had left, Rispah called out, "How do you know?"  
  
"My Sight, lass, my Sight. You know it's true in your heart."  
  
"Him and his stupid Sight," she grumbled as she laid down again.  
  
The sun set that night leaving two with very confused minds.


	3. Agreeing

  
  


Crossed Paths  


  
Disclaimer-everything in this fic is owned by *sighs* Tamora Pierce  
  
  
"Coram," Rispah pulled aside the curtain to his tent. He was sitting on the ground in deep thought. She smiled, she'd never seen him look so........thoughtful. His eyebrows were knit together.   
  
He never looked up.   
  
"Coram?"  
  
His head shot up, "What?"  
  
"I came to talk," she entered.  
  
"Oh," he said like that was the thing he least wanted to do.  
  
"Coram," she scolded and sat down besides him, " We need to talk.....about Us."  
  
"I know," he glumly answered and looked up at her.  
  
"Are we just going to stay this way?" she asked, " Because I'm not sure I can."  
  
"Do you mean you want to end this?" his eyes started to water. No, he thought, this can't be happening. I love her, she can't do this. "No."  
  
"No what?"  
  
"You can't break up with me. I love you too much."  
  
Rispah smiled. This wasn't the first time they'd said that, but everytime it made her smile," I wouldn't break up with you. I love you too much to do that."  
  
"So then why do you need to talk to me?"   
  
"Are we just going to be......this? I mean for the rest of our lives?"   
  
"This? Do you mean just hopelessly in love? " Coram had a twinkle in his eye trying to avoid what she meant.  
  
"No, I mean we _are_ in love," she hurriedly added, "But I mean are we just going to be just (for lack of a better term) boyfriend/girlfriend the rest of our lives?"  
  
Coram moved towards her, "Lass, I don't mean to sound like one of those old saps that you hear about in those stories and songs, but this past year has been wonderful. I wouldn't trade it."  
  
She looked at him, tears in her eyes, "You mean that?"  
  
"Yes, but I don't see why we have to go and get married. I've never liked marriage. It's okay for some people, but not for me. That's why I've never married."  
  
"You also never really were with someone, Coram."  
  
He smiled, "Aye, but even if I had been I never would have married them. And I'm certainly glad I never had, because I never would have met you."  
  
Rispah glared at him, "Now stop being corny. I wanna hear the real Coram, not some line you've heard."  
  
"Ah, but it's true. Rispah, if I had wanted to marry you, I would have asked."  
  
She pondered this. Coram probably would have, he never really liked to beat around the bush. Mind made up, she smiled. He really did love her, but he just didn't want to marry her or anyone else. She could live with that. In fact it might be better that way, being married never helped you in the theiving world.  
  
"Coram, you're right."  
  
He looked dazed, "Ah, how I love those words. Say them again."  
  
"No," she stated.  
  
"Now is that how you say that to your love?"  
  
"No, please."  
  
He chuckled, "You're like your cousin."  
  
"Something I'm not proud of," she said.  
  
"Hey, I heard that," the mentioned said from the door.  
  
"George! How long have you been standing there?" Rispah shrieked.  
  
"Long enough to hear your discussion," the thief turned to Coram, "You're right. You'll do my cousin right."  
  
"You've known that George," Coram said.  
  
"Yes I have. Now if you don't mind, I have a kitten out here wanting attention. Once you propose to a girl, she wants more," George looked upset.  
  
"George don't look upset. You know you want to give her what she wants." Rispah scolded.  
  
"That I do, so now I will leave," he left with a smile on his face.  
  
"Rispah, do you feel better now that we've had our talk?" Coram asked.   
  
Yes, yes I am.  
  
Good because I'm busy trying to put this fire out with my mind  
  
Oh you brat! she shoved him playfully on the shoulder and sat up. Be that way  
  
With that she walked out content just knowing that things were okay.


End file.
